Heat collecting device

ABSTRACT

A heat collecting device includes: a first vacuum device which includes a first housing and which defines a first vacuum chamber; a second vacuum device which includes a second housing that contains the first vacuum device and which cooperates with the first vacuum device to define a second vacuum chamber therebetween; a metal plate mounted within the first vacuum device and having a plate body and an extension portion extending from the plate body to project outwardly of the first and second vacuum devices, the metal plate being capable of absorbing heat energy from an external heat source through the first and second vacuum devices; an insulating layer enclosing the extension portion; and a thermoelectric semiconductor device attached to the extension portion of the metal plate, extending through the insulating layer, and disposed outside the second vacuum device for conducting the heat energy absorbed by the metal plate.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a heat collecting device, more particularly toa heat collecting device that has enhanced heat collecting and retainingeffects.

2. Description of the Related Art

With the gradual depletion of natural resources on this planet, theconcept of energy conservation is extensively promoted and applied.

In existing vacuum heat collectors, heat is absorbed by an outer portionof a vacuum heat collector and is collected in a vacuum chamber. As theflowability of fluid under vacuum is low, the heat energy can beconserved to achieve the purpose of vacuum heat collection.

However, a conventional vacuum heat collector, such as the solar energycollecting device disclosed in US Patent Application Publication No.2003/0230300 A1, has a single layer structure, which does not provideideal heat collection so that subsequent heat conduction is notsatisfactory. As such, the intended effect of recycling the collectedheat energy cannot be fully achieved.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a heatcollecting device that has enhanced heat collecting and retainingeffects.

Accordingly, a heat collecting device of this invention includes: afirst vacuum device which includes a first housing and which defines afirst vacuum chamber; a second vacuum device which includes a secondhousing that contains the first vacuum device and which cooperates withthe first vacuum device to define a second vacuum chamber therebetween;a metal plate mounted within the first vacuum device and having a platebody and an extension portion extending from the plate body to projectoutwardly of the first and second vacuum devices, the metal plate beingcapable of absorbing heat energy from an external heat source throughthe first and second vacuum devices; an insulating layer enclosing theextension portion of the metal plate; and a thermoelectric semiconductordevice attached to the extension portion of the metal plate, extendingthrough the insulating layer and disposed outside the second vacuumdevice for conducting the heat energy absorbed by the metal plate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

Other features and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent in the following detailed description of the preferredembodiment with reference to the accompanying drawing, of which:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view to illustrate the preferred embodiment of aheat collecting device according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 1, the preferred embodiment of a heat collectingdevice according to the present invention is shown to include a firstvacuum device 1, a second vacuum device 2, a metal plate 3, aninsulating layer 4, and a thermoelectric semiconductor device 5.

The first vacuum device 1 includes a rectangular first housing whichdefines a first vacuum chamber 10. One of the walls 11 of the firsthousing is formed from a glass material. The other walls 12, 13 and 14of the first housing can be formed from a plastic material. The wall 12is formed with an opening 121.

The second vacuum device 2 includes a rectangular second housing thatcontains the first vacuum device 1, and cooperates with the first vacuumdevice 1 to define a second vacuum chamber 20 therebetween. One of thewalls 21 of the second housing confronts the wall 11 of the firsthousing, and is formed from a reinforced glass material. The other walls22, 23, and 24 of the second housing are formed from a heat-resistantplastic material. Furthermore, the wall 22 is formed with an opening 221aligned with the opening 121 in the first housing.

The metal plate 3 is formed from a conductive metal material, such ascopper and aluminum, and is mounted within the first vacuum device 1.The metal plate 3 has a plate body 31 and an extension portion 32 thatextends from the plate body 31 and through the openings 121, 221 in thefirst and second housings in sequence. Preferably, an outer surface ofthe metal plate 3 is coated with a black paint material 33 to enhanceheat collection and conduction of heat energy.

The insulating layer 4 is formed from a plastic material, and isdisposed to enclose sealingly the extension portion 32 of the metalplate 3.

The thermoelectric semiconductor device 5 is attached to the extensionportion 32 of the metal plate 3, and extends through a hole 41 formed inthe insulating layer 4, and is disposed outside the second vacuum device2. The thermoelectric semiconductor device 5 has a heat-collecting side51 attached to the extension portion 32 of the metal plate 3, and aheat-radiating side 52 opposite to the heat-collecting side 51. Theheat-collecting side 51 absorbs the heat energy collected by the metalplate 3, whereas the heat-radiating side 52 conducts the absorbed energyto the outside. In this embodiment, the thermoelectric semiconductordevice 5 is a highly efficient, high-performance thermoelectric coolingunit. Since the construction of the thermoelectric semiconductor device5 is not the crux of this invention, it will not be described in detailherein for the sake of brevity.

In use, the plate body 31 of the metal plate 3 absorbs heat energy froman energy source 100 through the glass walls 11, 21 of the first andsecond housings of the first and second vacuum devices 1, 2. At thistime, the temperature of the plate body 31 of the metal plate 3 rises,and the heat is conducted to the extension portion 32. Thethermoelectric semiconductor device 5 attached to the extension portion32 of the metal plate 3 senses the heat energy accumulated on the metalplate 3, and conducts the heat energy outward from the heat-radiatingside 52. By attaching the heat-radiating side 52 to a water storagedevice (not shown) of a water heater, water in the water storage devicewill be heated, thereby forming a water heating device.

Since the heat collecting device of this invention utilizes the firstand second vacuum devices 1, 2 to form the first and second vacuumchambers 10, 20 that constitute a double chamber construction of innerand outer chambers, heat energy collected within the two vacuum chambers10, 20 will not easily dissipate to the outside. Moreover, with the useof the black paint material 33 on the metal plate 3 that has heatcollecting and conducting effects, the heat energy in the first andsecond vacuum chambers 10, 20 can be effectively conducted to thethermoelectric semiconductor device 5.

Regarding the supply of the energy source 100, sunlight exposure orsunlight focusing can be employed. For sunlight exposure, a temperatureas high as about 350° C. can be reached. For sunlight focusing, atemperature as high as about 600° C. can be reached.

In sum, compared with the conventional vacuum heat collector which doesnot have a satisfactory heat collecting effect, the present inventionprovides a double vacuum chamber structure that can collect heat energyvia the metal plate 3 and that can better retain the heat energy in thefirst and second vacuum chambers 10, 20 so that the temperature aroundthe metal plate 3 can be maintained at a high level and so that the heatenergy thus collected will not easily dissipate to the surrounding. Theprovision of the black paint material 33 on the outer surface of themetal plate 3 further enhances the heat collecting and conductingeffects.

While the present invention has been described in connection with whatis considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it isunderstood that this invention is not limited to the disclosedembodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included withinthe spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompassall such modifications and equivalent arrangements.

1. A heat collecting device, comprising: a first vacuum device whichincludes a first housing and which defines a first vacuum chamber; asecond vacuum device which includes a second housing that contains saidfirst vacuum device and which cooperates with said first vacuum deviceto define a second vacuum chamber therebetween; a metal plate mountedwithin said first vacuum device and having a plate body and an extensionportion extending from said plate body to project outwardly of saidfirst and second vacuum devices, said metal plate being capable ofabsorbing heat energy from an external heat source through said firstand second vacuum devices; an insulating layer enclosing said extensionportion of said metal plate; and a thermoelectric semiconductor deviceattached to said extension portion of said metal plate, extendingthrough said insulating layer and disposed outside said second vacuumdevice for conducting the heat energy absorbed by said metal plate. 2.The heat collecting device according to claim 1, wherein said metalplate is formed from a material selected from the group consisting ofcopper and aluminum.
 3. The heat collecting device according to claim 1,wherein said metal plate has an outer surface that is coated with ablack paint material.
 4. The heat collecting device according to claim1, wherein each of said first and second housings is a rectangularhousing, said first and second housings having confronting walls thatare made of glass.